1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wireless LAN module in a computer system, and more particularly, to a method of managing power consumption based on a communication sensitivity of a set channel, or based on data traffic that must be processed through the wireless LAN module.
2. Background of the Related Art
In the following descriptions, the term “normal mode” is intended to mean the same thing as the term “working mode,” and the term “sleeping mode” is intended to mean the same thing as “power down mode.”
In a wireless LAN network system, data is wirelessly transmitted between computer systems which are installed in buildings or in large-sized offices. As shown in FIG. 1, the wireless LAN network system includes computers 6, an access point 4, a hub 3, a router 2 and a server 5. The computers 6 communicate with the access point 4 using a wireless LAN module. Available wireless communications channels are allocated to corresponding computers. This allows the computers 6 to communicate with each other through wireless communications passing through the access point 4. Additionally, the wireless devices may directly establish a LAN with each other in a peer-to-peer communications mode.
The hub 3 is disposed in the middle of a LAN transmission line and functions as a transmission line repeater. The router 2 is a computer or repeater equipment for determining a path of traffic flow in the communication network The router 2 promptly processes message traffic through the Internet 1. In a communications network which connects the computers with the terminals through mesh-shaped paths, the router 2 receives a transferred message and selects a shortest path or an optimal path, and then transmits the message to a reception computer via the selected path.
A wireless LAN module installed in one of the computers 6 operates according to a system power mode (working mode/sleeping mode) determined by a central processing unit (CPU). The wireless LAN module always supervises the system power mode so as to set and change its own power mode according to an I/O request packet (IRP) of the system power mode. If the system power mode of the computer's CPU is the working mode, the wireless LAN module sets its own power mode to the working mode. If the system power mode of the computer's CPU is the sleeping mode, the wireless LAN module sets its own power mode to the sleeping mode.
An operating system (OS) based on the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface Specification (ACPI Specification) directly manages the power mode setting of the computer system.
Because the power mode of a wireless LAN module is set according to the system power mode determined by the CPU, and because the power mode of the wireless LAN module is set without regard to the existence of data which must be processed by the wireless LAN module, when the CPU is operating in the working mode, the wireless LAN module acts as a system load. If no data must be processed by the wireless LAN module, the wireless LAN module consumes power unnecessarily.